Live Band Profile – Badgerfest 2018

October 13th at the Manchester Rebellion will see Badgerfest in all its glory with fifteen bands over two stages for a mere £10, if you got the early bird tickets, or £15 on the door. Badgerfest is the idea of one man, namely John Badger, who has set up this event giving local and UK underground bands an opportunity to play at a festival. And if last year was anything to go by, it will sell out!

Badgerfest is only in its second year but has already grown from its first year in the sold-out Star and Garter to its new home in the Manchester Rebellion. Signs are good for further expansion and applications for bands for next year are already being taken. As this is an all-day festival, Moshville Times will give you a rundown of each of the bands performing. Support your local underground scene and keep it alive.

Divine Chaos (Headliner)

Divine Chaos are a five piece metal band from the south east, intent on creating better music and a more intense live show than the sort of act people have become used to in recent years.

Divine Chaos they have a multitude of influence as does every band but what makes Divine Chaos worthy headliners of this years Badgerfest is that their aim is to provide the gig goer with a more intense live experience. If you can picture the impact of Pantera’s Vulgar Display Of Power album cover, then that’s exactly what a Divine Chaos live show will do to you. Check them out here.

Prognosis

Prognosis are a progressive metal band from Manchester whose influences include Gojira, Dream Theater, Mastodon, Devin Townsend and Muse. I am sure there is something there for everybody to bang their head and raise their horns. Releasing their debut album in September 2018, you can be sure a lot of the songs will be fresh and pleasing to the ear. Check them out here.

Torqued

Torqued are a groove laden heavy metal band based in the deep south of the UK. With more hooks than an abattoir chiller, their unique brand of heavy metal has been constructed with one goal in mind…To rip faces and blow gauges! Not a lot that I can add to that!!! This three piece will certainly be one to watch with all members bringing a different vocal style to the songs, which is something I personally love. Good luck guys. Check them out here.

Reprisal

With thrash metal riffs and harsh thrash, almost death metal vocals, Reprisal from Surrey look to dominate in Manchester after releasing their debut album None Survive The Sun in March of this year through Hostile Media. Think of Revocation with a bit of Havok and you will be on the right lines. You will sure get your heads banging to this band and play a fair selection from the album. There shall be no respite for you pit trolls. Check them out here.

Skeletal Damage

Inspired by many of Metals greatest and bored with the current trends in music, the band has crafted its own sound within the heavy metal realm and wants to share with as many people as possible. Prepare to get damaged! Skeletal Damage name may sound extreme but they love to play thrash metal the old school way. Think of Metallica and Exodus at their fastest and you are halfway there. Check them out here.

Promethium

Promethium take their influence from the torchbearers of metal music such as Black Sabbath, Metallica, Megadeth and Pantera to develop a signature sound to ignite the eardrums of audiences across the country. Promethium have released 3 studio albums to date. The most recent of which was Faces Of War which was released on the 16th March 2018 and is available on all major streaming sites and distributed through Load 4 Records. This is a head bangers dream with heavy chugging riffs are the order of the day here. Check them out here.

Hedra

We’ve taken all of our idols of the groove metal genre, put them in a razor sharp blender and filter & made Hedra, we took fragments of influences and fried them up to create a mish-mash Frankenstein’s monster of a metal band! Mixing everything from thrash, death and metalcore, no two songs sound the same with this band which means there will be something for everybody in this crowd. think Meshuggah meets Machine Head mixed with Fear Factory and that should make you get into the pit. Check them out here.

Isarnos

Isarnos from London describe themselves s “Melodic metal band from the UK, combining heavy guitars, drums and vocals with the calming sounds of traditional instruments and esoteric melodies”. Being folk metal and using instruments such as whistles and bagpipes, I am sure you won’t be standing still in the venue to this band. Having released their one and only EP Uediiu two years ago, maybe the band will have some new songs to get you moving on the dance floor. Check them out here.

This Is Turin

Hailing from Cheshire, This Is Turin is a five piece technical metal band that fuse elements of extreme metal with a hardcore delivery to create a powerful and diverse sound. Influences ranging from Enya to Slipknot to Aborted, this should certainly intrigue you to have a look. “When God Bleeds” single is as heavy as a sledgehammer to the head with pummeling double bass, blast beats and deathly vocals that certainly had me smiling from ear to ear and will do to you too. Check them out here.

Impavidus

Manchester band Impavidus describe themselves as melodic groove metal with Arch Enemy, Decapitated and Death being some of their influences. However, Impavidus like to add a bit of Soulfly and Mastodon in there too. Michelle is one heck of a vocalist ranging from clean to growling vocals in the blink of an eye and none other than Mr Badger himself on the drum kit. This is sure to be a highlight of the festival. Check them out here.

Fractions

Formed in 2011, Leicester five piece Fractions grace the stage with their thrash, groove and progressive take on metal. Influences ranging from Slayer, Metallica and Tesseract, they are sure to get the pit started and those heads banging. They really have something to keep your eyes peeled on the band with a mix of clean and death vocals which is a plus in my book. Debut EP was released in the middle of last year so maybe they will be playing some new songs at Badgerfest. Be there to see it. Check them out here.

God Shaped Devil

God Shaped Devil are well known to the Manchester scene and have made rumblings in the underground since their debut EP was self-released in 2015 and we at Moshville Times called it a “cracking slab of heaviness”. Being finalists in Metal to the Masses in 2016, a new album in the works and having influences ranging from Gojira, Lamb of God and Opeth, God Shaped Devil are on fire and nothing is going to stop them. Check them out here.

Frozen In Shadows

I have recently reviewed this band’s self-titled debut and I must admit, melodic death metal is not my forte. I prefer my death metal more old school but the talent on show on this EP after only starting this year was incredible. Members from bands from all walks of life in Manchester have came together and created a band with influences from At The Gates, Night In Gales and In Flames with Mr Badger once again behind the kit, this will be a must see band at the festival. Check them out here.

Daybreaker

Hailing from Blackpool, it will be a short trip for this five piece band who like to groove their metal riffs with more than a touch of hardcore under their belts. After releasing their first self-titled EP in July, you can be sure that they will be eager to play all of it to everybody. Ready to play gigs anywhere and everywhere, Daybreaker will no doubt see you all soon and Badgerfest will welcome these guys with raised horns. Check them out here.

After the Abduction

With song titles like “Decomposition of a Retching Corpse”, I think you will know what form of music this five piece from Manchester play. Slamming brutal death metal is the order of the day in the vein of Dying Fetus, Nile and Decapitated. Having a demo under their belts, I am sure the band are going to pummel the audience with new material and get the punters moving. Check them out here.

Give your support to the bands and support Badgerfest to make it bigger and better each year. Bands wishing to take part next year should apply as per tour poster instructions. Good luck to each and every one of the bands on the day.

About The Author

As Trevor Peres of Obituary once said, "Anything to do with Death, Dying or being Chopped In Half, then I'm into it". Been into death metal since the late 80's and a lover of dark ambient, its simply a case of opposites attract.